Quotes

Always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

The best way to get praise is to die.

The chief mourner does not always attend the funeral. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

The day which we fear as our last, is but the birthday of eternity. (Seneca)

Death is more universal than life; everyone dies but not everyone lives. (A. Sachs)

Death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity. (William Penn)

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.

Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal.

A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble. (Charles H. Spurgeon)

I am fully convinced that the soul is indestructible, and that its activity will continue through eternity. It is like the sun, which, to our eyes, seems to set in night; but it has in reality only gone to diffuse its light elsewhere. (Goethe)

I thank my God on every remembrance of you. (Philippians 1:8)

I think of death as some delightful journey that I shall take when all my tasks are done. (Ella Wheeler Wilcox)

It is healthy and honorable to weep at the loss of someone we love. Healthy because such passion must be released. Honorable because it is respectful to admit the importance of people who have loved and supported us...people whose footprints cannot ever be matched. (Maya Angelou)

Let children walk with Nature, let them see the beautiful blendings and communions of death and life, their joyous inseparable unity, as taught in woods and meadows, plains and mountains and streams of our blessed star, and they will learn that death is stingless indeed, and as beautiful as life. (John Muir)

Life is eternal, and love is immortal, and death is only a horizon; and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight. (Rossiter Worthington Raymond)

Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome. (Isaac Asimov)

Nothing can make up for the absence of someone whom we love, and it would be wrong to try to find a substitute...It is nonsense to say that God fills the gap; he does not fill it, but on the contrary, he keeps it empty and so helps us to keep alive our former communion with each other, even at the cost of pain. (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

The past is never dead, it is not even past. (William Faulkner)

The people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

Perhaps they are not the stars, but rather openings in Heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.

Perhaps they are not the stars, but rather openings in Heaven where the love of our lost ones shines down to let us know they are with us.

Sometimes there are no perfect words...only thoughtful silences that whisper softly of caring.

Sometimes there are no words...only love.

A sorrow shared is a sorrow halved.

Sympathy is two hearts tugging at one load.

There is no distance on this earth as far away as yesterday. (Robert Nathan)

Time heals what reason cannot. (Seneca the Younger)

Unable are the Loved to die. For Love is Immortality. (Emily Dickinson)

We shape our lives not by what we carry with us...but by what we leave behind.

When it comes time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song, and die like a hero going home. (Mohican Chief Aupumut, 1725)

When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure.

When we die we leave behind us all that we have, and take with us all that we are.

While we are mourning the loss of our friend, others are rejoicing to meet him behind the veil. (John Taylor)

Why should I fear death? If I am, death is not. If death is, I am not. Why should I fear that which can only exist when I do not? (Epicurus)

With every friend I love who has been taken into the brown bosom of the earth a part of me has been buried there; but their contribution to my being of happiness, strength and understanding remains to sustain me in an altered world. (Helen Keller)

Unable are the loved to die for love is immortality. (Emily Dickinson)

If

If tears could build a stairway,
and memories a lane,
I'd walk right up to heaven
and bring you back again.

Memories

(adapted from a quote by John W. Hudnall)

I know it's difficult today to see beyond your sorrow,
May looking back in memory help comfort you tomorrow.
Look at what he left behind for you to see and hold and touch,
Your children that you love so very much,
he lives . . . in them.

Don't Wait

(Anna Cummins)

Do not save your loving speeches
For your friends till they are dead;
Do not write them on their tombstones,
Speak them rather now instead.

Leaving

(Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)

On a day of burial there is no perspective--for space itself is annihilated. Your dead friend is still a fragmentary being. The day you bury him is a day of chores and crowds, of hands false or true to be shaken, of the immediate cares of mourning. The dead friend will not really die until tomorrow, when silence is round you again. Then he will show himself complete, as he was--to tear himself away, as he was, from the substantial you. Only then will you cry out because of him who is leaving and whom you cannot detain.

The Little Things

It will be the little things
that you will remember,
the quiet moments,
the smiles, the laughter.
And although it may seem
hard right now,
it will be the memories
of these little things
that help to push
away the pain
and bring the smiles
back again.

Tribute Album

I want to create a Tribute Album (8x10 black album) to be a tribute to all my relatives and friends that have passed away. I'm planning to do a one or two-page spread for each person. I want to include all information I can on this page including a copy of the funeral program, birth date, date of death, cause of death (for historical reasons), dried flowers from the funeral (just a habit of mine), location of burial, and any favorite memories I have of that person. (IADiana)

Memorial Pages

I did a few pages in my scrapbook for my father. I only have about six photos of him so I used the best one for my first page. I put his name and the dates on the same page.
The next two pages had the other photos, his obituary, and I had a rubber stamp of Psalm 13 that I did and mounted. I kept the mounts and borders very simple. I mounted the photos on silver card stock. I drew a line down the sides and across the bottom in silver. Each corner had a small square sticker where the lines intersected. Very tasteful and elegant. (Amy)

My MIL was a quilter and made all of the grandchildren quilts which she presented to them just before she died. I took pictures of the quilts and included them with the program and death notice. I also included two cards that I found especially inspirational.

On my Grandma's page I have a few pictures of her with the obit. I also have a copy of the eulogy my aunt shared. (hml)

When I did my brother's album I took all of the newspaper articles (he drowned) and copied them on acid free paper and put them in an album. I have the obituary and all of the sympathy cards sent to me. I used pocket pages for the cards so I can take them out easily and look at them. The first page I used a 5x7 picture of him and double matted it. The next pages I copied some hymns that were appropriate for the circumstances and put those in.
After the cards I made pages of him when he was younger and then did pages of my whole family. I put in our last family picture together too. I also included pictures of him at the funeral. I have pictures of the flowers people sent and journaled how my mom used his favorite fishing pole in his flowers for the casket.
I don't think there's any right or wrong way to do it. It's all about memories of that person and what they meant to you. (farmwifek)

Memorial Album

My sister passed away very unexpectedly in September. She left behind a box of 54 years of photos from her life and her childrens' lives. They had no clue about the stories, or the people, in a majority of the photos. During the week of planning her memorial service, my other sister and I took those photos and created a memory album of her for her family (adult children and grandchildren). I cannot tell you how that experience has touched our lives and emphasized to me personally how imperative the Creative Memories message truly is.
Since there were hundreds of photos from all different parts of her life, we first sorted through the piles of photos for generalized categories. Rather than try to assemble them year-by-year, we grouped them by topic and used a format that was presented at National Convention last year. Thus we created Sharron's album, "This Gentle Lady . . . " with her 'beach portrait' (taken only a few weeks previously), as the title page. We started with baby pictures--"This Happy Baby . . . ", followed with "This Joyful Child . . . ", "This Spirited Teenager . . . ", "This Young Lady . . . ", "This New Bride . . . ", "This Loving Mother . . . ", "This Special Friend . . . ", "This Animal Lover . . . ", "This Garden Grower . . . ", "This Favorite Grandma . . . ", "This Loved Sister . . . ", and then closed the album with her 'beach portrait' again combined with a personalized prose.
With this type of layout, we could journal whenever we had the specific information or particular insight, add names/dates to the photos where we could, or just group photos according to topic if we "hadn't a clue" (just present the photo in context to the topic).
We spent the week while creating the album, surrounded by memories, laughing and crying and sharing our grief in such a healthy way that it truly enabled my sister and me to come to terms with Sharron's death in a very positive manner.

Keepsakes

When my husband's brother died several years ago I made teddy bears out of his stretchy fabric shirts with this poem "I'm made out of clothes from someone so dear, Who from loving memory will always be here, So when you hug me up close to you, Just remember ____ loved you too!"
This would also work with flannel shirts or old suits. You could take a photo of each of the people with their bears and use scraps of the fabric (or color copies of it) to mat the photos.

Memorial / Remembrance Book

(The info in the next three sections is from Nancy W. - aka scrapwiz)

Celebrating and Remembering a Special Life

Create a personalized memorial/remembrance scrapbook that celebrates a special person's journey into, through, and passing out of our lives. Record their lives in the pages of a scrapbook that will remind you and their loved ones what their life was like. Capture the experiences of this special person's lives, not just the events. Your scrapbook will become a treasure chest that gathers memories for you to keep and/or give as gifts to those you love.

How do I get started creating my album?

Begin by using the handouts provided to make a list of things that are important to you and things you would like to put into your album.

Gather facts that capture the events and experience of this special person's life (see handouts).
You can decorate pages and add info later.

Request ideas from others (see below)

Gather all of these things together in one place

Example: Text requesting notes for a memorial or remembrance book

"We're contacting special friends and family with an invitation to participate in a special remembrance book for ________. An album [and display] are being compiled with photos and notes of stories, special times, and memories from many of those who are/were dear to her/us.

Memory note: Enclosed is archival paper that fits on the album pages. Just write (front side only, please) about a fond memory, thought, poem you have of a time you and __________ shared or special things about him/her. We've enclosed an idea sheet to offer some ideas to get you thinking.

Option 1: Request for photo for baby or someone you may never have met: "If you can, please send a photo of yourself to include on the page with your memory note."

Option 2: Request f or photo for someone you've known: "If you can, please send a photo of you and ____________ together (4x6 preferred, but not essential). If you don't have one together, please send a photo of yourself to include on the page with your memory note. We'll also be happy to receive a good quality color copy (available at Kinko's, Staples, Office Depot, etc.) Enclosed is a post-it note for details: date, occasion, location, etc. If you don't have a photo, just your note will be most welcome."

Please return mail the note and photo to me in the enclosed, postage-paid envelope no later than [date] to give us plenty of time to put together the album. If you are on the Internet, feel free to email me any stories, poems or memories Otherwise you can mail them to me.

Thank you in advance for your support. This will be so meaningful to
Option l: us
Option 2: ____________ ['and his/her family', if appropriate].

Signed Your name; Address; Phone number; FAX number; Email address

Example:

"We're contacting special friends and family with an invitation to participate in a remembrance book for ________. A tribute album and display are being compiled with photos and notes of stories, special times, and memories from many of those who are dear to her.

"Memory note: Enclosed is archival paper which fits on the album pages. Just write (front side only, please) about a fond memory you have of a time you and __________ shared or special things about him/her.

"Photo: If you can, please send a photo of you and ____________ together (4x6 preferred, but not essential). We'll also be happy to receive a good quality color copy (available at Kinko's, Staples, Office Depot, etc.) Enclosed is a post-it note for details: date, occasion, location, etc. If you don't have a photo, just your note will be fine.

"Please return mail the note and photo to me in the enclosed, postage-paid envelope no later than [date] to give us plenty of time to put together the album. If you are on the Internet, feel free to email me any stories, poems or memories Otherwise you can mail them to me.

"Thank you in advance for your support. This will be so meaningful to ____________ ['and his/her family', if appropriate].

Who to send to:

Getting started:

Choose a theme and colors (suggestion: for a baby, muted primary colors, pastels; for an older person, muted color combinations

Create a title page

Choose a minimum of ten categories from basic info list (you may want to start with ten in case you're feeling overwhelmed with too many possibilities and too much information).

Adhere photo mounting sleeves or corners to only one side of a two-page layout--leave the other page for journaling. Good idea: alternate journaling and photos in each two-page layout. Example: journal on page 1, mount photo sleeve or corners on page 2; photo sleeve/corners on page 3 + page protector, journaling on page 4; etc.

Use letter stickers, hand lettering, or lettering templates to spell out a title for each category.

Insert photos into the photo sleeves that correspond to the titles you've chosen.

On the blank pages with the heading, journal about the topic using an archival pen. Use your own narrative, bullets, or words to tell about the photos or categories. Remember, the more journaling, the better!

Your personal touch:

On the inside cover, last page, or back cover, write a dated special note (and photo if you wish) from you, the SB creator. Tell why you created this SB, for whom, and what your hopes for it are.

Suggestions:
To Elizabeth and Ray, Rachel's mommy and Daddy: Wishing you peace, comfort, and special memories. Love, Nancy

What I've ended memorial scrapbooks with:

I have given many gifts and I suspect I will give many more before my life is through. Some will be simple, some extravagant. Some will be unusual, but not all will be unique. There is only one gift in all the world that can be given by me alone and is truly unique. That is the gift of memories
-- captured, presented, and passed on to the people who loved __________.

Each page is a reflection of the lives he/she led, the love he/she shared, the lessons he/she/we learned, and the memories we cherish. It is also a reminder of the worth of each family member and the roots they carry with them.

It is the story of everyday existence. I dedicate this book to ________, with the hope that the past will never be forgotten.

Tips for success:

Important to include a deadline date so people are clear when you need the information

If this is a tribute SB to someone living, or the individual has not already passed, ask them how they'd like to be remembered (although this may sound insensitive, even children have ideas about what they'd like said about them)

Remember to remember from all different sides--both positive and negative: happy/sad, old/new, likes/dislikes, favorites

Miscellaneous Ideas:

Save all envelopes, postmarks and stamps and make a separate layout

Begin your album with a poem or a verse from the Bible, such as Ecclesiastes 3 or one of the many chapters from Psalms

Include a page of family heritage such as a family tree with the names, dates of birth and death of other family members, like great grandparents, grandparents, parents, brothers, and sisters

How to start:

Writing a Bio-Poem

Memorial Album Idea

I did one for my mother-in-law, who died after a sudden stroke. I did it on black pages, very minimal decoration, using the silver pen to journal. She had left her photos organized in files, so it was easy to pick and choose them, then ask the family to help give specifics about the photos. The process of putting it together gave us something to focus on, and was a source of good memories for everyone. It is really hard to know what to do with yourself in the first days after an unexpected death.

On the first page, I used a formal 5x7 portrait of her, surrounded by her name and birth year-death year. I grouped the photos as Daughter (baby pics), Sister (childhood with her brother), Student (School photos), Wife (wedding and early marriage), Mother (with her two sons), Career Woman (on the job), Musician, Animal Lover, and Friend. I did a two-page spread for each role that she played, and included some songs and poems she had written.

The final page contained the last picture on the role of film that was in her camera when she died--a beautiful rainbow over her house. I signed it "With love, great admiration, and fondest remembrance of a life well-lived."

We put it out at the memorial service, and people just loved it. Most of them didn't know about all the things she had accomplished in her life, and the album just hit the highlights. We color copied it for her brother, my husband, and his brother, and left the original with her husband.